Pokémon: Cinder Circuit
by Candytusk
Summary: Riley doesn't remember the "good old days," not many kids her age do. Pokémon battles have been phased out and the Indigo League disbanded. It's not so bad, it's hard to miss something you never had, but that never stopped anyone from dreaming - and Riley has big dreams. Chasing the whispers of a rumored underground Pokémon league, she hopes to challenge this new Elite Four.
1. Chapter 1

"Are you sure you want to do this, Riley? I mean, there are easier ways to get a Pokémon than breaking into the Old Lab. Besides, there's no way they have any old pokéballs left in there, they probably got rid of them all when they turned the place into a museum. I'm sure The Pika Cabin has some great Pokémon you can adopt."

"Liv, the Pika Cabin only ever has Rattata and Pidgey. Maybe a Snubbull. You look me in the eye and tell me Rattata is a great Pokémon," said Riley.

"They're cute," it was a very poor lie. Liv never liked rodents, not since her brother's Pikachu made a nest out of her favorite boots. The thing had given her a good shock when she stuck her foot in without looking. She cried.

Her brother still brings it up every family gathering.

"I don't really care if they're cute," said Riley, "if I'm going to compete in the Cinder Circuit, I want something that's going to win. Every new challenger is going in with Rattata because that's ALL anyone has. I want something different."

"Cinder Circuit?" Liv asked with a here-we-go-again air. "Come on, Riley. PLU shut down Pokémon battling years ago. There's no super secret underground league."

"That's the point of a super secret underground league," Riley said, "it's super secret."

"Where'd you even hear about it, huh? And don't say Bruce."

"He said he got his Pokémon from the Old Lab, from some guy named Big Hoss," said Riley, "Apparently this guy runs the entire League with his own Elite Four."

"Oh come on, Riley, you know he's just messing with you. And even if he's not," said Liv, "what're the odds this Big Hoss guy isn't some kind of sketched out dealer or something? You're going to go in there and get yourself killed, or worse."

"Look, if you don't want to go in, you can stay out here and be lookout," Riley said.

Liv jammed her fists into her coat pockets, "Fine."

"Text me if you see anything," Riley checked her Pokégear for good measure, noting her 45% battery life. More than enough for a "Rangers are coming" text.

She tucked it away and exhaled a calming breath, looking out at the fence that kept them out. She pulled the mane of pink curls out of her face and fixed them into a springy ponytail. Stray wisps framed a soft tawny face, her eyes magnified by gold circle rimmed glasses matched to a jeweled ring pierced through her septum.

Her mother hadn't approved of the piercing three years ago when she came back from Goldenrod with it fresh in her nose. She didn't much mind it now, bargaining that it was better than stealing or doing drugs.

Riley would be sure not to tell her about tonight.

"Be careful," Liv said.

Riley pushed her way through a hole in the fence and made her way towards the Old Lab.

Professor Oak's lab lay a ruin of memory, strangled by overgrown vines and dark shadows. Their fingers digging deep into the old bricks, spreading like an infection until the whole building was locked behind an iron gate posted with ugly signs marked :DANGER: and :DO NOT ENTER:. Bold letters, bold paint, hidden beneath a layer of dust and dirt, warnings that seemed just as apathetic as the Rangers that patrolled the grounds, punctuated with an indifferent shrug.

They had tried once to restore the old building, stripping away the rot and root and every broken brick in between. They'd dressed it up nice and plastered posters within her walls to hide the holes they couldn't fix. Old news, championships long passed and won; They figured history might thrive here, a nostalgic memory to the "good old days" when people and Pokémon battled to become "Elite." Because this is where it all began. But even that wasn't enough to save the old lab or the new museum it had become. Old display cases collected in their filth, glass like winter's frost, muculent like soap, but far less as clean or pleasant. The curios of the bygone sat beneath a layer of dust so thick they looked more like crude sculptures, ready to fall apart at the softest sigh. Monitors hung as empty black picture frames, silent in their omnipresence, cameras too still bowed over corners, soft fuzz prickling the glass that bulbed their eyes.

For so long it sat here, among all its dust and all the creeping woods, fading into the static of a familiar background where it became its own ghost. Remembered fondly by teenagers all for the wrong reasons, graffitied into the walls and littered upon the floors.

Riley clicked on her flashlight. The beam of light cut through the choking dark, filaments of dust drifting through its stream. She swept its light from one end of the hall to the other, murky glass casting back glares in what little clarity they had left.

She couldn't remember what this place looked like when there wasn't a gate and all those signs. Not many people could though. It's life as a museum was short lived, shut down when the Pokémon Liberation Union came to rise saying that it promoted "old and dangerous practices."

The laws came with great backlash and still did, not many people were happy about it or the dissolution of the Indigo League. But time passed, as it's known to do, and soon those people were old and the new generation couldn't remember a time where Pokémon battles were the norm.

But - there were whispers, quiet whispers, ones you had to strain to hear and question even when you thought you did. They called it the Cinder Circuit, the last burning coal beneath the ashes of a bygone era, an underground league that ran all throughout Kanto.

Riley had heard of it from a friend, Bruce, who swore to its existence on the grave of his mother. Which always made Riley laugh, seeing as Bruce had two dads.

She was skeptical, most people would be, that was fair to say, but being the daughter of a Joy, the idea of an underground league was more than exciting. And it all started here.

She crept down the hallway, keeping her light low and away from the windows looking out. Empty nips littered the corners of the hall with crumpled candy wrappers and cigarette butts that reminded Riley she wasn't the only one who had been here, or, was here. But listening close she could only make out the sounds of the wind and the Rattata in the walls.

Her footsteps never echoed, quiet in the pillow of dust and debris as she made her way about the Old Lab, peeking in every door, hoping to find something more than the vast nothing of a worthless museum's worth of crappy curios.

* * *

_Pi!_

The text notification made her jump, panic already setting in as Riley feared the worst. She fumbled to pull her Pokégear from her pocket, sticking her light beneath her arm as she did so.

It was Liv, "Did you get in?"

"Shit, Liv," she breathed, "scared the hell out of me." She texted back: "Yes."

_Pi!_

"Find anything?"

"Nothing yet. Any Rangers?"

_Pi!_

"Nope, you're still in the clear. What's it like in there?"

"Like your grandma's house."

_Pi!_

"Lol"

* * *

There was an emoji that followed after the "lol," but Riley didn't have it installed. She didn't bother to ask what the white box with the X through it was. It wouldn't change the message.

She tucked her Pokégear away and flipped the flashlight back into her hand, fighting back the shadows that threatened to swallow the halls and great empty rooms of the Old Lab.

She swore she saw one move.

And chose to ignore it. That was much easier than admitting it had moved.

She made her way down into a great open room, introduced by a 63 point font, bold letter Impact sign that read "Professor Oak's Lab." Outdated computers lined the walls, blank monitors reflecting back Riley's own complexion there in the dark. Old machines no one knew how to use were still plugged into wall sockets that didn't work, strange contraptions all tubes and screens, buttons and widgets, valves and half cranks. Riley fantasized their purpose, but didn't quite have the mechanical imagination for it.

She inspected each, leaning in close and bathing them in the light of her flashlight. She ran her thumb over their serial plates, reading the numbers as if they'd allude to whatever it was that they were.

Behind her, another shadow moved.

Or maybe it was the same shadow.

She listed across the room, coming about to the circular, flat top pedestal settled directly at its center. A glass display case enclosed its top where three pokéballs nestled neatly within, a faded stickers on the glass read "Bulbasaur," "Charmander," and "Squirtle." Distracted, interested, either way and all around unknowing, failed to see the shifting about her as the black of shadows melded with the floor, shrinking away from the walls and leaving them bare, as if nothing more a dusty drape left to hide the Old Lab from the New World, now there in a puddle all it's own just behind her heels where red eyes peered up from its void. Glowing. Ominous and dreadful.

Riley tilted her light to the case and could see the device that would project the Pokémon's data on the glass were electricity still working in the Old Lab. "Just a display," she told herself "there's no way they're real. No way they'd just leave some Pokémon sitting out like this." And stepped backwards, directly into that puddle of shadow where her foot sunk half an inch.

Startled, she pointed her light to the ground and couldn't help the yelp of fear that bubbled in her throat as her eyes met those glowing red slits of playful hate.

She pulled her foot up and pressed her back against the pedestal as the shadow pulled up from the floor, two spiked ears first, glowing eyes next and a wide toothy grin.

"Oh shit...a Gengar..." Riley exhaled her nerves in some big attempt to look calm in front of the wild Gengar, but her voice betrayed her when it broke between her words "H-hey there buddy, this your place? Pretty cool." She gave the Pokémon a thumbs up as she slyly made her way about the pedestal, unsure of what her next move was going to be.

The Gengar watched her with that unflinching smile, the glow of its eyes casting new shadows across the Lab, all seeming to smile just as big as it.

It wasn't stupid, she could see it in his eyes, the same type of look any manager might give in hearing whatever lame cover up you had to being late that wasn't simply just "I slept in." It _knew_. And she wasn't ignorant to that fact. She had to be quick, but most of all - she had to be lucky.

Riley's gaze flicked down to the encased pokéballs, then back to the Gengar as the rather ill advised plan began to knit itself to fruition.

The latch that affirmed the glass case over the pedestal was old and worn, rusty about the edges and one good wrench away from breaking. Riley didn't know the first thing about breaking locks, but she'd broken plenty other things without meaning to, so she assumed it wouldn't be that hard. Or hoped so at the very least.

'_Screw it,'_ she thought, '_I'm going to catch it.'_

* * *

_**A/N: **Fun fact, this story is based off an old tabletop game I ran several years back. With the new movie out, I figured I'd __resurrect it into story format c: _


	2. Chapter 2

**Pallet Tribune  
**_Friday, 2 September 23 (three years ago)  
__Partly Cloudy_

**Pokébusters!  
**_**Maxine Grante**_

It seems local teens aren't the only ones making the old research lab home! Several ghost type Pokémon have taken up residence in the former lab's facilities. Rangers have positively identified four types of Pokémon, along with three new species!

Spooky!

Due to this recent discovery, the Pokémon Liberation Union has cordoned off the area as they attempt to relocate these Ghastly friends! Pallet Town residents are asked to keep their distance from the labs as well as these new Pokémon.

Rangers will be on site to assure their safe removal within the following week.

* * *

It was a sad reality, that even here, most people became squeamish and even fearful of the dead and all its ghosts. Faint memories, listless clouds of remember-me-as-I-was, lost within shadows and basement stairwells, dusty labs, history too ironic really reminded them, us, of the stark finality in life, that even the best of us, were never meant to last. Not forever, not entirely, not the same.

But Riley didn't believe in ghosts, not the human kind anyway, maybe not even the Pokémon kind either. Not since her father died when she was three. No ghosts came for her then, and shouldn't they?, If they existed?, Make even just one small effort?, Even in dreams?.

Nothing haunted her, and the anxiety she felt in this moment stemmed not from shadows, but what they could do, because ghosts couldn't hurt people. Which wasn't to say that she believed Gengar could do her no harm, it could, very easily in fact, because things could be ghostly without being dead. Much like the absence of a friend or automatic hand dryers. No, it was that notion of staring down wild shadows, that Riley feared she might be in trouble, if not lucky. And if she were lucky, then she would be very lucky.

She broke the lock on the old display case as the shadows closed in on her like a silent, crushing wave, drumming in her ears; Gengar chuckling, wheezing almost, watching her only, which was odd. Very odd.

Riley didn't notice, focused, she grabbed a pokéball. Slowly, unwanting to startle it, to provoke attack or its flee. It wasn't enough, by the time she looked up (had she looked down?) the Gengar was gone, shadows left, empty halls. Gone.

And then.

A wet tongue slapped against her cheek, all the way up and skewing her glasses and slicking her hair, just at the bangs, leaving her feeling very gross and very uneasy.

The Gengar laughed, upside down floating there beside her, appearing much like a Cheshire Cat, all eyes and smiles before the rest of him slowly followed suit, bouncing with his laughter, tongue hanging out, still wet (very wet).

Riley felt her knees weak beneath her, every nerve a trembling shamble as she stumbled backwards on stuttering feet, pokéball in a hand.

"G-g-gross," She stammered.

The Gengar laughed.

"Not funny," she replied, "You know what-"

The Gengar paused and listened.

"I'm going to catch you, what do you think about that?" She said, "and then when I do, I'm going to lick you back. Huh? How would you like that?" She cocked back her arm and -

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

\- missed, startled by the sudden interruption of a voice not far behind her. 'Oh,' thought Riley, 'oh no.' The pokéball bounced off the floor and rolled sadly along before settling between the spaces of two linoleum squares.

Her flashlight flickered, an uncertain beam in the darkness, piercing through the shadow form of the Gengar that floated there all quiet smiles and more smiles, as the Ranger, equally as quiet, had stepped out from his own with much less panache, because he was only human, which was less comforting than it should have been.

He was a six foot seven serious frown stuffed into a uniform two buttons too small, not because he was fat, which he wasn't, but because the Station he worked for could only ever get Medium sized shirts which strained at the seams every time he crossed his arms.

Which he did.

And on his jacket, which fit him much better than that, just above the pocket, Riley read his name, Alif, embroidered there by his mother; because she still loved him very much, through his very hard transition, everyday more than the last, and more so even after he realized he was never supposed to be a girl after all. And even though it was a very ugly jacket, with harsh red accents and orange stitching, he loved her too, very much, and wore it every day at work. Even on nights like these when it wasn't very cold at all except for when he stood beside Gengar, who made it very cold indeed.

"I'm going to assume," said the Ranger, "that you saw the signs posted on the fence?"

Riley knew better than to answer him and even if she hadn't, couldn't, with the pounding of her heart within her throat.

"This building is unsafe for kids like you to be playing in. It's very old and not only is it falling apart, there are many Pokémon that make their homes here. It's very dangerous," he did not smile, but he wasn't unkind, "and I assume you do not have a companion, which makes it even more dangerous."

Riley's gaze shifted to the Gengar, who at this moment, must have realized its awkward and obvious silence, replied "Gar," in a very human accent.

She thought he might be mocking them.

"They're just props," said Alif with a nod of his chin, "they don't work and even if they did, you couldn't catch this one. If you're looking for a companion, try the Pika Cabin, or any Pokéstore, I'm sure you can adopt a very nice Rattata. Come on," he made a rolling gesture, ushering her forward so that he might kick her out. Which was everywhere Riley didn't want to be.

"No," said Riley, "I'm not going."

Alif frowned deeper, "Excuse me?"

"I'm looking for my friend, I can't leave without them." Lie. Such a lie.

"Your friend?" Alif contemplated this and then sighed, resigned to his duty and the safety of others, or so was meant by the uniform he wore, "Ok, ok," he said, "Where did your friend run off to?"

"I'm not sure," said Riley, "his name is Big Hoss."

Alif regarded her with the most exhausted frown as he rolled his eyes up to the ceiling, "This shit again," he said, "There's no underground league. You kids have got to stop believing these rumors."

Gengar listed to the ground and from beside them watched, wholly engrossed in their private sitcom.

"It's not a rumor," Riley insisted for no reason at all.

"Oh? Because your friend told you so?" asked Alif, "This property is owned by the PLU and monitored by Rangers 24/7. If there were any underground league here we would know about it, and they would shut it down."

"Except the PLU hasn't touched this place in the past three years because of all the Pokémon," Riley said, "before that, this place was empty. So either it's coincidence or someone is very clever." Riley felt very silly for arguing, but thought she made a good point. And so did Alif. He quirked an eyebrow, which was enough to lessen that intimidating frown.

"What's your name?"

"Riley."

"Riley," repeated Alif, "are you a Joy?"

"I am. Are you...are you Big Hoss?"

"No," said Alif, "He is," and nodded to the Gengar.

Riley laughed.

Alif didn't.

Riley stopped laughing, "You're serious? A Pokémon runs the Cinder Circuit?"

"When he's not busy trying to scare people off, yeah. He's in charge," said Alif.

Riley looked to Big Hoss in disbelief, "You licked me," she said.

"Yeah, and you were going to catch me," shrugged Big Hoss, "Think that makes us around even."

"It does not," scoffed Riley, "Wait - wait - you can talk?"

"I suppose I can," said Big Hoss.

"How?"

"I open my mouth and say words," said Big Hoss and gave Alif a get-a-load-of-this-kid gesture.

Riley supposed that was accurate. She had never known a Pokémon that could speak though, sure there were rumors out there, there always would be, videos too, Meowth's mumbling things that sounded vaguely like words, "Oh Long Johnson," but never anything like this. Nothing like Big Hoss. She looked to Alif, "Are you even a Ranger?"

"Volunteer Ranger," said Alif.

"A lot of people are creeped out by ghost types," said Big Hoss, "so the PLU got some volunteers in from Lavender Town. I met Alif over there three years ago, one of the first guys to come down. We hit it off when I caught him stealing Pokémon from the old vault. Good guy. He's been helping me run the Cinder Circuit ever since. Think of him like a new Professor Oak."

Alif saw the look on Riley's face and interjected calmly, "When this place went out of business there were a lot of Pokémon that got left behind. The PLU adopted out, probably 15% of the Pokémon Professor Oak had collected, the rest stayed here. And if you know anything about storage technology then you know that when Pokémon are kept in their pokéballs for a long time the data that they're transcribed as can become corrupted. Pokémon that end up like this are too deformed to function outside of their pokéballs. They call them Missingnos and for the most part there's nothing you can do once a Pokémon becomes a Missingno."

"Except," said Big Hoss.

"Except," continued Alif, "I figured out how to recode their data. It's not perfect, but it gives them a chance to live."

"New Professor Oak," Riley repeated as she strung together the series of events, "So when Trainers come to the Cinder Circuit...you give them one of your Missingnos."

"Smart kid," said Big Hoss.

"Why doesn't the PLU do that? Recode Pokémon?" asked Riley.

"Because they don't know how," said Alif, "and don't want to know. I tried."

"Easier to just get rid of them," said Big Hoss sadly.

"I want one," said Riley.

Big Hoss grinned, "Course you do."


End file.
